Dark Dawn
by Twilit Metroid
Summary: A dark army attacks Smashworld and the fighters of the melee tournament are called to defend it. The world is shrouded in a dark substance known as Dusk, and is cut off from communication. Will reinforcements arrive, or will 24 beings hold off an army?
1. First Contact

Author's note: Characters in this fic can use final smashes only when in a heightened emotional state (anger, sadness, fear, etc.). While there are a few exceptions, this applies to most characters.

Disclaimer: Most characters are owned by Nintendo. Sonic and Snake are owned by Sega and Konami, respectively. The main antagonist is a character of my own creation.

**Dark Dawn Chapter 1: First Contact**

He knew someone was watching him, he could sense it. He whipped around suddenly and pointed his three fingered hand at a point in space. The outstretched limb erupted in dark purple fire.

_"Reveal yourself,"_ the creature demanded without opening its mouth.

"You first," came the slightly amused reply.

He considered it for a moment, and then stepped into the light filtering down through the haze and tree cover. He was a strange creature; almost catlike but bipedal, standing on two three toed feet. A tail sprouted from around his body, slashing at the air almost defensively .His eyes were deep and menacing, yet intelligent, glowing purple in the half-light.

"My turn, then?" came the voice again. Its owner stepped forward, the darkness around him parting like a sheet. Even in the light, he was an enigma. A thick black cloak hid any facial features, but was obviously made for a humanoid.

_"Reveal yourself,"_ the creature repeated; mouth still non-existent.

"Please. That's hardly necessary, Mewtwo," the figure responded.

_"You know me? Who are you!?" _the creature, Mewtwo, nearly screamed. The violet flame in his hand flared up and leapt at his opponent, who simply raised a five fingered hand in defense. The flame never reached its destination. It seemed to freeze, and then shattered on something that flashed black before disappearing again.

"Disappointing, really, I expected more from the legendary psychic pokemon" the figure said.

_"I'm not trying to kill you," _Mewtwo replied, switching tactics quickly. He attempted to read the man's mind, but found that unlike most mental defenses, which were solid walls of will, this one was fluid. Every time he found something, it seemed to drain away, leaving him with nothing substantial. He managed to find the man's favorite color (black), but not much else.

"It won't work, so stop trying. Besides, I want to propose a deal," the man explained. Suddenly, the fluid defense solidified into a sword like shape and stabbed into Mewtwo's consciousness. It caught him off guard and dove into his mind, but got no further. Mewtwo summoned his own defense, an army of various creatures, each one a different size and shape, and at the front stood a small yellow mouse with red cheeks; lightning arcing off of its body into the ground. The mouse gave the order to attack.

_"Stay out of my mind." _The retaliation was so powerful that the man was physically thrown back several meters, landing gracefully on his feet. He laughed, and then said, "Well done. Truce?"

_"For now."_

"Good. Now, about that deal?"

_"I'm listening."_

The man laughed again, and then his tone turned serious, "You remember the Smash Tournaments?"

_"What about them?" _Mewtwo asked.

"You were invited to the second one, Melee, I believe." He paused, then continued after a nod from Mewtwo. "Anyway, you were kicked out. So-

Mewtwo cut him off, _"I left of my own accord. I have responsibilities here."_

"Here?" the man asked. "This island of cloned pokemon?"

_"Do not refer to them as clones. They are my life, my family," _Mewtwo said bitterly.

The man grunted before continuing, "So, do you want revenge?"

_"Against whom?" _

"The Smashers, of course. For forcing you to abandon your family," the man said quietly.

_"What do you take me for?" _asked Mewtwo, _"Some kind of villain?"_

"I know of your attempt to rule the world," the man said, slight anger in his voice.

_"That was before I had friends," Mewtwo said. "Before my family."_

At that moment, Mewtwo caught a flash of yellow from the corner of his eye, _"ah, Pichu. What brings you here?"_

The tiny mouse didn't respond, instead, it growled angrily at the cloaked man; electricity lancing from its red cheeks. Mewtwo glanced back to the man when Pichu suddenly dashed forward. Pichu jumped onto the man's cloak and began to shock him, moving to a new spot on his body whenever the man reached for him. The man grunted in pain briefly, and then jumped into the air and spun his body; sending Pichu hurtling to the ground.

Mewtwo extended his consciousness toward the yellow mouse, catching him with his mind, before setting him down gently on the ground. The cloaked man landed a moment later.

_"It seems Pichu dislikes you. I trust his instincts over my own, and far more than I trust you," Mewtwo said. "What is your true purpose for coming to my island?"_

The cloaked man rose to his feet. "I'd assumed you were tainted by evil. I see I was wrong," he muttered. "I guess the attack on Smashworld will have to wait for a worthy general."

_"What!?" _Mewtwo took an involuntarystep back.

"My name is Dusk. My army stands on the border of shadow and light. Join me or perish!" the man screamed. Seconds later, every light went out; not artificial lights, there were none on the island, but the stars and the moon itself went black. The only remaining light came from Pichu, in short bursts of static.

The light mouse dashed forward once more, glowing brighter as it closed in.

_"Pichu! Stop!" _Mewtwo screamed, but Pichu continued until he reached Dusk and jumped once more. What Pichu attacked was completely different. When the light finally reached the man, he had discarded his cloak, and what stood before them was a monster. It had no eyes, just a spot of flesh where they should have been. Where hands had been before, wicked claws took their place. It was completely black, except for the rows of silvery teeth glinting in the small light.

Pichu stopped running instantly, paralyzed with pure terror. Sharp claws reached toward Pichu, who still didn't move. Mewtwo tried to run forward and soon found out why Pichu stopped. The very darkness was holding both of them down; there was no escape.

Mewtwo could only watch in horror as the monstrous beast lifted Pichu by its ears and tossed it into a nearby tree. He reached out with his consciousness to catch the little mouse again, but he felt the stabbing pain of the sword of will, much stronger this time; and nearly fell unconscious. Pichu smashed into the tree with a sickening crunch and the light abruptly faded.

"Oops," Dusk said; his voice a horrible parody of its former sound. "Well, you can always clone another one. Or was that the original?" He laughed. The sound was almost a scream of pain.

_"No. Pichu…" _Mewtwo whispered to himself.

"Now then, if that's over with, I still have to recruit you," Dusk explained, turning his eyeless gaze to Mewtwo.

_"I'll never work for you," _Mewtwo said without conviction. Then, more quietly, he said, _"I couldn't save him."_

"Not willingly of course," he continued as if he had not heard.

Mewtwo expanded his consciousness, now looking only for the demonic being who murdered his family. Once he found it, he could see perfectly, despite the darkness. _"But I will avenge him"_

The army of pokemon again appeared in Mewtwo's mind, ready to fight. The small yellow mouse was no longer in front.

Dusk spoke again. "I **will** make you my general. You will be tainted by the darkness, by my blood. You will beg for the job. You will want it."

Mewtwo felt the darkness holding him constrict, the blade dug deeper into his mind, and his army was overwhelmed.

"I…want…" Mewtwo began in his own voice. "I want…"

Dusk smiled and said, "say it."

Mewtwo began again. "I want…my family."

The demon was startled and took a step back. Mewtwo's army appeared again, and standing there on the front line… was Pichu. Right next to the little mouse he saw himself, glowing with a fierce aura of rage; holding the Dusk's sword in his hand.

Light literally exploded from Mewtwo, shattering the darkness around them. The stars returned, along with the moon, and Mewtwo dashed forward, slamming his flaming fist into the chest of the demon. He lifted his opponent from the ground with his hand still in its heart and spoke, his voice ringing in the demon's ears. "You come to me to ask for a deal, my service in exchange for revenge." Mewtwo glanced at Pichu; purple flame exploded inside the demon. "Then you attack me. You killed my friend; and you still offer the job!?" Mewtwo tossed it away, disgusted. "I was sworn to protect these 'clones'. I was their leader, and I failed to stop you from killing Pichu, even if he wasn't one of us. Now you want to wage war against the Smashers, the only ones who offered to take me in even after I was labeled a villain. I cannot allow that. You will never take another life, artificial or otherwise. I will-" Mewtwo cut off when the claws sliced through his back.

Mewtwo fell to the ground, his back bleeding profusely. His glowing aura disappeared. He jumped away just as the second set of claws raked the ground were he'd been and smashed his tail in his opponent's face.

"The attack has already begun," Dusk said. "This is your last chance"

Mewtwo ignored him, then teleported behind the demon, grabbed its neck, and burst into purple flame; pounding his fist into what should have been its eyes. Dusk howled in pain and reached backward, grabbing Mewtwo in his claws and raking his back even more. It tossed him. Mewtwo flipped in midair, faced the demon and opened fire with shadowy balls of flame. He slammed into a tree and was temporarily blinded by pain. Mewtwo stood still for a moment, and when the demon didn't attack, he opened his eyes.

It seemed to be gone, but Mewtwo searched anyway. He teleported the moment it burst from the trees, aiming behind it. Once he was in position, he slammed his fist into its back, smashing through its hide again. The demon lurched forward, ripping itself away from Mewtwo and spun around to face him. He felt the claw impale him through the stomach; and made up his mind. He grabbed the demon's arm and held on, before speaking. "It's time to end this"

Mewtwo thought of Pichu in his final moments. He thought of all the clones on his island, what they would do without him. A single tear slid down his cheek as he prepared his final smash. "For the good of the world," he cried, smiling, "I'll take you with me!"

"Destiny Bond!"

The world went dark.


	2. War

Dark Dawn Chapter 2: War

**Dark Dawn Chapter 2: War**

The battle could be heard for miles. A chorus of explosions ripped the ground apart beneath their feet, but the creatures just kept coming. They were hunched near the ground, black claws nearly dragging their bodies closer to the target. Heads hanging low, as if to hide from the setting sun; silver gray saliva falling from their snapping jaws. But worst of all, they had no eyes.

The three ships returned from their bombing run, none worse for the wear. The two smaller ships were blue and white, winged, with their cockpits exposed, revealing a brown fox like creature and a blue bird in control. They swooped low to deliver more bombs while the larger ship, an orange, somewhat rounded shape, descended and began to land. A hatch opened once it touched the ground and a golden armored figure emerged. A helmet concealed its face, an emotionless green visor staring forward; the large cannon that served as a right hand pointed in the same direction.

"Samus, what are you doing?" asked the fox pilot through his COM system.

"My ship is out of missiles and I can do more damage on the ground," the figure responded. Though its voice was distorted, it was obviously female.

"And what will you do if you're engaged in melee?" the bird cut in.

"Fight"

The fox chuckled. "Fine, but before you dive in there, give me a report on our allies."

Samus sighed before scanning the battlefield. The sun was setting and it was difficult to make out details, but she reported what she saw. "All right, Link and Ganondorf are holding their own, and Zelda is blowing the crap out of those…things," she said as a green clothed swordsman and a tall, dark skinned man that glowed with purple fire, slashed and smashed their way through the ranks. A royal looking woman stood behind them, launching fireballs from her hands that detonated on impact with the creatures.

"Mario, Luigi, and Bowser are doing pretty well, too," Samus continued, watching two men in red and green overalls stomping anything in their path, occasionally throwing a fireball of their respective colors. A bit to the right of them was a giant bipedal turtle with a spiked shell, slashing anything that came close with wicked claws, once spewing fire from its mouth when the creatures attempted to overwhelm him with their numbers.

A flash of green and blue caught Samus's eye and when she looked, it faded, revealing four children fighting off the creatures with all they had. Two of them wore matching parkas, despite the weather, and fired off chunks of blue ice with their giant wooden mallets in perfect harmony. The third, a young boy in a striped shirt and baseball cap, shouted something indistinct, and then the group of creatures in front of him simply exploded in a green flash; evidently, they hadn't learned from the previous explosion. The final child could have been the green swordsman, Link, if not for his size. He shot flaming arrows into the creature's faces, slashing them with his sword if they got too close.

"Did you see those flashes?" asked Samus. "That was the kids, they're fine," she said after a moment. "Everyone's doing great. We'll have- Oh no…" Samus trailed off.

"What? What is it!?" the fox nearly screamed.

"It's bad, Fox," Samus said. "It's Roy. I'm going in"

The red headed swordsman, Roy, was nearly at his limit. Claw marks riddled hid body. Every time he cut one down, two more charged him from behind; he was surrounded. The Sword of Seals flashed again, ending three more dark creatures, before it fell from his hand. Now that the sun was down, they seemed to be getting stronger. Two creatures leapt toward him at the same moment, but Roy wouldn't go down easily. He slammed his fist into the first one, then rolled towards his sword, ducking under the second before he sliced it in half. As soon as he rose, another creature lunged at him, and its claws slashed across him face; he dropped the sword again. The creature lifted its claw a final time, preparing to finish him off, when its head suddenly exploded.

Its lifeless body fell on top of him as Samus appeared, arm cannon smoking, and fired again. Two more creatures' heads were lost as another swordsman appeared behind them. He wore royal attire, and had a tiara atop his blue hair, his expression one of quiet rage.

"Damn it all," Samus cursed, "the sun is down. Where the hell is Peppy with our ride!?" She glanced at Roy. "Is he dead?"

"Marth," Roy managed to rasp weakly before falling unconscious, under the protection of his friends. Marth took one look at Roy and seemed to catch fire, a visible aura of power radiating from him. He bent down and picked up Roy's sword, and then dashed off at top speed, a sword in each hand. Marth tore through the enemy, still glowing as he cut down anything near Roy's unconscious body. He hadn't noticed that the creatures stopped moving.

The others did, however, and immediately ceased attacking in favor of discussion.

"What's going on?" asked the kid in the baseball cap.

"No idea," responded one of the twin Parkas.

"Hey! You kids alright?" called a thickly accented voice. The group of children turned to face the man in the red cap and overalls coming toward them, his green counterpart following close behind.

"Yeah, we're fine, Mario!" shouted the other Parka twin, this one female. The small child in green simply nodded.

"But Roy's not! Look!" yelled the child in the baseball cap, pointing.

Link stepped forward, carrying Roy, Zelda and Samus right behind him. He placed the fallen warrior down slowly, and then drew a bottle filled with red liquid from his pack. He lowered the bottle to Roy's lips and poured the liquid down his throat, carefully supporting his head. When he finished, Link replaced stopper and sat down to wait. It didn't take long. Roy coughed himself awake, made a sound of disgust, and looked towards Link.

"What the hell _was _that?" he coughed, a red mist seeping from his mouth. Link chuckled.

"Potion," he said simply, before turning his gaze to the unmoving creatures. Zelda noticed what he was looking at, and asked, "What do you think they're doing?"

"It looks like they're listening for something," Luigi suggested.

"Or they stopped receiving orders," Ganondorf growled, approaching the group. "I've seen this before." He reached forward and plunged a purple coated fist into one of the creature's chests, lifting it off the ground. He grunted a moment later and the creature simply melted from his grip. "Magical constructs," he said. "Someone cut them off from their leader."

"But who could do that?" asked Mario.

A loud explosion suddenly ripped through the night, shooting purple light upward several hundred miles away; near the coast.

"I'd say," Samus said. "Whoever's on that island"

There was a burst of static, "Hey, you guys know what that was?" came Fox's voice through Samus's radio.

"We're pretty sure it's what made those creatures stop," She responded. "There's an island out there, too; any idea what's on it?"

"Yeah," said the blue bird. "Says here that's Cinnabar Island, but there's nothing there but an abandoned cloning lab."

"Thanks, Falco," said Samus. "Cinnabar Island; isn't that's where Mewtwo went after the second tournament?"

Ganondorf laughed. "Mewtwo, huh? If that was him, he'll make a fine ally yet."

"Mewtwo will never be like you, Ganondorf," Zelda said bluntly.

"Now what makes you say that, princess?" Ganondorf asked. He reached for Zelda, only to stop when Link's sword pressed against his neck. He grunted and backed off.

"You're not the first Hero, you know," he said. "And you won't be the last"

Roy decided to speak up, "Well, what now?"

"First thing's first," Samus began, "you need medical attention. Then, we go pick up Mewtwo. Fox, you listening?

"I hear you"

"Good. Do you think you can pick up Roy?"

"I can walk," Roy said, "that potion did the trick. I feel great.

"Okay, never mind," Samus said. "Let's go."

"Wait! What about them?" asked one of the kids, pointing towards Marth and Bowser, who were still fighting the nonmoving creatures.

"I guess we can't leave them," Samus admitted. "Alright, Ness, you and Young Link go get Marth."

The boy in the baseball cap, Ness, dashed off toward his target while the green clothed boy, Young Link, followed at a more relaxed pace. Samus turned to the other two children, "Popo, Nana, you two can go cool Bowser off"

The two children high-fived, and a flash of ice appeared between them, before they ran off.

They returned a moment later, their exhausted quarry struggling to keep up.

"Hey, you two!" called Ganondorf mockingly, "Attacking helpless creatures, what happened to your sense of honor?"

Bowser laughed at the jeer, but Marth' anger sharpened.

"They are heartless, unnatural aberrations," he replied, "they deserve less honor than is bestowed by my blade."

Ganonondorf's retort was swallowed by the sound of a jet engine. Everyone looked up to see a large ship descending towards them. It was white; vaguely bird shaped, and had four wings forming an "X" along its sides. _THE GREAT FOX _was plastered on its side. It landed and a hatch opened, revealing an aged looking hare standing near the door.

"Sorry we're late," he called, "Pikachu saw something on the way and wouldn't let us leave. Little mouse nearly shut down the whole ship."

A yellow mouse, a little larger than a Pichu, jumped up next to the hare and began waving its small arms wildly.

"What'd he see, Peppy?" asked Samus.

"We believe it was another pokemon, looked pretty banged up, too," Peppy responded. "He's in the regeneration chamber now, but to be honest, I'm not sure he'll make it."

Pikachu seemed to disagree with that statement. Strongly.

"Do you know which pokemon it was?" asked Mario, suddenly curious.

"It wasn't in our database, but when we put Pikachu on the translator, he said it was called 'Two-something', I think. Mewtwo?"

**Author's note: Gah! This was much easier to write when there were 3 characters instead of 14. Everybody needs a chance in the spotlight, though, so expect still more characters (sigh).**

**Also, I might take a few suggestions for characters to be included.**


	3. Traitor

Dark Dawn Chapter 3:

**Dark Dawn Chapter 3: Traitor**

The room was the most sterile in the ship. It was completely white save for the multiple beds lining one wall. Near the beds was sophisticated computer, currently on standby. On the other wall sat a large tank of green liquid in which an odd creature was suspended, unconscious. The red headed swordsman, Roy, sat on one of the beds, bandages covering most of his body. He was conversing with an older but shorter man wearing a lab coat and a stethoscope around his neck. A nametag bearing the words, "Dr. Mario MD" was on his coat.

Now that Roy got a good look, he noticed that the man did indeed look like Mario, the pudgy red-wearing man he knew from the tournament. There were differences but the man was eerily similar to Mario, he'd have to ask about that sometime…

"Well, your X-rays looked good, no broken bones or anything," the doctor began. "Though there was this strange black goo in some of your wounds. Any idea how that got there?" he asked.

Roy thought for a minute before speaking. "Uh, could it be blood? One of the things collapsed on top of me when it died."

"Hmmm, blood, huh? Either way, I've never seen anything like it before" he responded.

"Yeah, neither have-" Roy suddenly broke off into a hacking cough. He tried to inhale but found that he couldn't, he just continued coughing, spitting up more of the black substance.

"Roy? Roy!?" Dr. Mario cried. He leaned forward, reaching for his stethoscope and pressed it to Roy's chest. What he heard chilled him to the bone.

_"This body will do fine for now."_ The voice wasn't Roy's but it seemed to be coming from inside him. Dr. Mario jumped back just as a black sword whipped through the air where he had been moments before. Roy lifted his head to meet the doctor's gaze; his eyes had gone completely gray. The sword in his hand seemed to wave in and out of existence, but remained just as sharp.

"Who are you!?" demanded Dr. Mario, taking up a fighting stance.

"A dead man would have no use for that information," Roy responded.

"I don't plan on dying yet," the doctor said as he whipped his hand forward, tossing a large capsule toward Roy and dashing to the side.

"Besides," he continued, "that body is still injured." The capsule flew toward Roy, who simply sliced it in half, not expecting the powder that burst from its center. Roy's face was covered in the powder, but he didn't even blink it from his gray eyes. He dashed forward and slammed the sword into the wall next to the suspended creature's tank, narrowly missing the doctor.

"You seem to have some fight in you," Roy observed, ducking under a furious punch.

"I don't plan on fighting, either," Dr. Mario said as he slammed a button on the wall behind him. As soon as he touched the button, a green tank, the same kind that contained the floating creature, descended around Roy.

"What is this!?" he shouted, pounding the transparent material with a vaguely clawed fist.

"It was originally built to hold mental patients," Dr. Mario said, smiling. "I think you qualify."

"You think this can hold me!?" Roy snarled, his voice becoming distorted.

"Yes," confirmed the doctor, "I think it can hold you for a while, but I need to inform the others of this development." Dr. Mario began to exit when Roy spoke again.

"Stop. Release me… or the boy dies." The doctor whipped his head around to find Roy holding the dark sword to his own throat.

"You said yourself, this body is injured; I can do without one for the time being"

"I can't do that," Dr. Mario said angrily, clenching his fists.

"Very well," Roy said. He drew a line across one of the scars on Roy's face with his free hand. The scar turned black, and then burst into flame. Roy screamed.

This time it was Roy's voice, not the distorted version, which screamed in sudden pain. Dr. Mario winced and looked away, closing his eyes.

"You became a doctor to relieve the pain," said the voice again. "You would let this one suffer?"

He had clearly struck a nerve, as Dr. Mario's face set in a determined expression and he turned to the wall. He looked at the button that would release Roy.

"No," he said, and slammed the button next to it.

Green liquid poured into the container, submerging Roy completely. He mouthed something and slashed at the tank with the sword, failing to penetrate on the first strike. He then drew his arm backward and gestured with his other hand. The sword he held erupted into black fire and stabbed forward, shattering the container that held him. The liquid poured to the ground. Dr. Mario took a step back, and then felt the sword pierce his chest, having continued its path of destruction across the room.

The doctor fell to his knees clutching his chest, but he didn't remove the sword. It was cold, despite the dancing flames. He felt himself being lifted off the ground by his coat and heard a deep growl from Roy's direction.

"Why," he asked, "is my information on the Smashers so faulty!?"

He dropped Dr. Mario when he didn't answer.

"First Mewtwo, then you," he continued, glancing at the tank that held the suspended creature. "At least I got your names right."

A loud tone sounded as something slammed into Roy's back, and he turned to find Dr. Mario breathing heavily; his arm extended. The doctor lifted his other hand, preparing to throw another capsule.

"Not…" he said slowly, "…without a…fight." He hurled his weapon with the last of his strength.

Roy held up his hand and gestured again; the capsule slammed into a solid black barrier that formed a hemisphere around him.

"You fools are too unpredictable," he said angrily, "I wasn't prepared for this."

Roy stepped forward and forcefully removed his sword from the doctor, who collapsed immediately. He didn't move.

"Good riddance," said Roy, "this detour took entirely too long."

Roy walked to the door and took one last look at the tank of liquid in one corner, then left. The creature stirred, seemingly in the midst of a nightmare.

Dr. Mario waited until he was sure it had gone. He got up slowly, one hand clutching the wound. He reached into his coat and produced a white cloth, about as large as a cape, and pressed it to his chest. The bleeding stopped immediately. He then limped over to the computer in the corner of the room and hit a few buttons.

Glancing up at the security camera, Dr. Mario saved the record of the last few minutes. Then he began to cough harshly, spitting up blood and some kind of black substance. When he saw the strange ooze, the color drained from the doctor's face. The coughing continued to get worse until he could no longer breathe.

He grasped the mouse in panic and hastily clicked the 'send' button. With his task complete, his body slid to the floor limply.

"The detour continues," was all he said.

--

Roy entered the large cockpit of the ship to many surprised faces; those that fought in the battle and a few others. The old hare, Peppy, sat in the pilot's seat, next to a robot of some kind, looking at numerous monitors. A large green frog and a purple-furred fox sat with Fox and Falco.

"Hey," Fox started, "you're out of the infirmary early."

"Mario's one great doctor," Roy returned, searching his memory for a name, "Fox"

Falco decided to speak up, "Yeah, but what's his relationship with the other Mario? Their nearly identical!"

Roy shrugged, said, "I don't know," and continued forward, approaching the pilot. Peppy turned around when he drew close.

"Well what can I do for you?" he asked.

"We need to land, now," Roy said urgently.

"I'm sorry, Roy," Peppy said, "but we don't have time for that. If we don't report this soon, those creature could wake up and start wreaking havoc again."

Roy remained quiet for a moment, concentrating on something, then, "they already have."

Everyone in the room seemed to freeze, and then dashed to the nearest window. Various voices cried in alarm.

"He's right!"

"They're moving!"

"We have to go back!"

Mario raised his arms above his head and shouted, "Stop! We need to go now or we won't be able to get reinforcement back in time!"

"Smashville has already been evacuated," Samus added, "what did you think we were buying time for? The city is lost, there's no reason to go back."

No one seemed willing to argue, so the protests died quickly. Everyone returned to their respective activities as an uncomfortable silence descended around them. Roy, who remained standing, turned back to Peppy.

"Very well, if you will not land," he said, "then crash."

"…What?" asked a bewildered Peppy.

"Crash!"

While the others were stunned by the outburst, Roy lifted his hand into the air and formed a black sword from thin air. He kicked the hare and plunged the sword into the control panel. It burst into flame and began sparking erratically.

"What have you done!?" shouted Peppy

Roy laughed. "Simple. I killed the Smashers"

With that, his body became living shadow, completely black and shapeless. He simply melted through the floor to the valley and city below.

"Brace yourselves! We're going down!"

**Author's note: Brawl characters will start appearing next chapter.**


	4. Taint

**Dark Dawn chapter 4: Taint  
**

Mewtwo awoke in a panic. He was floating in a large container and completely submerged in green liquid; an alarm was blaring somewhere nearby. His arm moved without his consent and launched a ball of dark energy at the tank holding him. The material shattered and Mewtwo was dumped to the ground, along with the remainder of the liquid. He destroyed the alarm shortly thereafter.

Once he made sure that Dusk was nowhere in the vicinity, Mewtwo realized where he was and nearly panicked again in a rush of painful memories.

_"The laboratory! No, wait…there is no cloning equipment here."_

He looked around again, taking stock of the various beds and medical supplies.

_"It's an infirmary, but who's?" _Suddenly, Mewtwo remembered something. _"No! I'm alive! That means Dusk is-"_

"Hey!" called a shrill voice, interrupting Mewtwo's thoughts. "Dr. M- Whoa! What happened in here!?"

At that moment Mewtwo realized that he recognized the body on the floor. He knelt down to examine it as a large green frog, presumably the voice from earlier, did the same. He felt no pulse.

_"Dr. Mario," _hemurmured. He looked up at the frog and noticed the fear in his eyes.

_"What's going on?" _he asked. The frog jumped at his voice, but answered.

"The ship is crashing! Come on, quick!"

The pair hastily exited the infirmary, coming to a long hallway. The frog continued to speak, as if talking would ease his fear.

"I'm Slippy, and you're currently aboard the _Great Fox_, Fox's ship." He paused for a moment. "You're Mewtwo, right? The one from that tournament?"

_"Correct," _Mewtwo answered as a large tremor rocked the ship.

"I always wanted to go to a tournament like that, but as a spectator, not a fighter."

_"Slippy," _Mewtwo began.

"I was never really good at close combat," Slippy continued.

_"Slippy." _Mewtwo repeated, a little more forcefully.

"Not like Fox or Falco, those guys are real-"

_"SLIPPY!" _Mewtwo shouted. Slippy jumped, and a startled shriek escaped his throat.

_"Please continue with the explanation" _

"Right, sorry," Slippy said before continuing. "Anyway, we, the Smashers, I mean, were all heading back to report on the battle when Roy came out of the infirmary and just attacked us. He took out the controls of ship."

_"That does not sound like Roy," _Mewtwo observed, _"He is a kind hearted man, and unfamiliar with technology."_

"It's not hard to disable something when you shove a sword through it," Slippy said dryly.

_"His sword?"_ Mewtwo asked, _"Would he not have received an electrical discharge?"_

"I thought so, too, but that was no ordinary sword; looked like it was made of shadows or something. I think I heard Zelda say something about 'twilight'."

"Either way," Slippy continued, "after that he just melted through the floor and disappeared. It was creepy; but then, you didn't see his eyes." Slippy shivered.

_"What about them?" _Mewtwo asked, piecing his thoughts together.

"They were gray," Slippy answered, "and didn't blink; like he didn't even need them"

Mewtwo stopped, the pieces falling into place. _"Dusk,"_ he said angrily.

"What?" Slippy asked, coming to a stop as well. After a moment he flicked a webbed finger forward, "Uh, we're almost there," he said.

_"Yes, I'm coming," _Mewtwo murmured.

--

"…The detour continues," said Dr. Mario as his body went limp, falling to the floor. The screen went blank a few seconds later, as did the faces of those in room. Many exchanged nervous glances.

"Uh," started Mario, "what happened to Roy?"

"Never mind that!" yelled Falco, "What the hell happened to _you_?"

"For the last time, Falco, we're two different people. No relation, but I still can't believe what happened to him…"

"Hey," Peppy cut in, "we're still crashing, here, guys. You need to get to the docking bay with everyone else."

The two stopped immediately, beginning to exit the room, when Fox spoke up.

"Peppy, you go with them; I'll take over the _Great Fox._"

"But the controls are fried," Peppy said, "There's nothing you can do."

"Even so," Fox responded, "I've got try. I think I can minimize the damage; or at least maximize the destruction to our enemies."

Peppy nodded and began to leave. He stopped at the door and looked at Fox.

"Alright," he sighed, "You know what to do."

"I don't think the _Great Fox_ can actually _do_ a barrel roll, Peppy," Fox replied, grinning.

Peppy sighed again. "Just like your father." He left.

When they reached the docking bay, most of the Smashers had already fled, presumably in Samus's ship. Link and his younger counterpart, however, had attached themselves to the wings of the purple fox's ship by use of two chains, each connected to a gauntlet worn on their wrists. Ganondorf and Bowser seemed to have jumped into the darkness, and Zelda was nowhere in sight.

"Krystal!" shouted Falco towards the purple fox, who glanced up at her name.

"What is it, Falco?" she asked, somewhat annoyed.

"Fox is staying behind; he said not to wait for him."

Krystal sighed and looked pained for a moment, but then said, "Fine, if that is his decision, then so be it." She lifted off the ground, pulling Link and Young Link with her as the ship flew out into the night.

Falco turned to Mario, "Okay, you're with me. Get up on my ship and try not to fall off.

Mario silently obeyed, jumping over four meters and landing softly on the wing of the ship. He then gave a small bow. Not to be outdone, Falco leapt into the cockpit, spinning in the air a few times before touching down on the padded interior.

Peppy had already taken off and, instead of landing; he flicked on his lights and opened fire on the dark army below. He was careful not to hit any of his ground-bound allies, who were doing very well on their own but were showing obvious signs of fatigue; except for the ones who had stayed on board the _Great Fox _'just in case'.

The un-exhausted fighters included a helmeted man in a purple bodysuit who was shouting and punching his way through creature after creature with flaming fists, and two small pink blobs, one of which inhaled one of the creatures and took on it's appearance, slashing through more of them with newly acquired claws; the other pink ball pounded them with it's small fists, rolling into entire groups of creatures and tossing them out of it's way.

A short distance away, riding atop a small green and white spotted dinosaur, was a woman in an elegant pink dress; she appeared to be of royalty but, like the others, it didn't stop her from fighting. She smashed a frying pan into the face of one creature while her mount tossed exploding eggs into another.

Roy stood in the center of the chaos, silently dueling with Marth as countless battles raged around them. They traded blows with furious speed, ducking and weaving through the night. When Marth seemed to gain the upper hand, Roy jumped backwards to allow his minions to take his place. They were quickly slain. Marth flicked black blood from his sword and pointed it at his opponent.

"Roy is a better fighter than this," he spat, "what have you done with him?"

"I gave him a choice," was the only response, "he chose incorrectly, the fool."

Roy's head whipped upward, gray eyes meeting Marth's own. He laughed.

"But you're right. Roy is a far better swordsman than I."

Roy's hand shot to his chest, glowing with black fire. He fell to his knees, gasping and coughing in pain, and clutched his heart. Marth ran over to Roy, concern evident on his face. He knelt down to examine his friend when a sword flashed into his field of vision. Marth effortlessly knocked the blade from Roy's fingers as the red haired swordsman collapsed again, his eyes darkening to their normal blue color.

Shadows began to stir, and rose from the ground in a whisper. They left Roy's now unmoving body and flew to the sky, speaking in a voice that seemed to come from all directions.

_"Roy will make a fine general for the army, his experience will be useful."_

The floating shadows then darted together, forming a vague shape in the air. It was humanoid, lacking any definitive features, including eyes. The shade raised what looked like its arm, slashed the air in front of it with a claw and said, _"Come to me, servants!" _

At that moment, time seemed to slow as many things happened at once.

First, all of the dark creatures stopped attacking and retreated into the shadows, many leaving themselves open to attack by the Smashers; second, a blurry dark blue shape flashed through the battlefield, knocking aside any that stood in the way, and coming to rest below the shadow; and lastly, Roy sat up suddenly and knocked Marth away with a backhanded blow to the chest, sending him flying with strength he did not possess before. Roy then stood and took his place next to the menacing blue creature, which was still only a blur despite its eerie stillness.

Marth rose to his feet, a fierce determination in his eyes, and looked around. Behind him stood an army, and before him stood a trio of monsters, one of his greatest friends among them. When his gaze met Roy's, he noticed something that had escaped his attention before; something that rattled his being to the very core: Roy was crying. Sudden understanding flooded over Marth's face.

Two soft thumps alerted Marth to the Link's presence as they landed on either side of him, swords and shields drawn; a slightly louder thud announced that Mario had taken up a position behind them. Marth chanced a look upward. A pair of blue-white ships hovered above the small group, not coming closer but unwilling to abandon them.

"Surrounded," was all Marth managed to say before the blurred creature let loose a bestial howl and charged forward with Roy. At least, Roy charged forward. The blue creature just disappeared while Link met Roy head-on, matching him blow for blow.

"Where…?" Marth wondered when he heard a sharp gasp and a cry of pain behind him. He turned to find Mario lying on the ground at the creature's feet. It had finally stopped vibrating.

White lines streaked through its dark blue fur, most prevalent on the quills that ran down its back. Golden rings adorned its wrists and ankles. The creature's eyes had no pupils, but that did nothing to lessen the hatred in the glare directed at Mario. It raised its fists again and began to pound the man into ground with unchecked ferocity; arms moving so quickly that they could not be seen. When the creature stopped to raise a hand in preparation of the final blow, Mario spoke.

"S-Sonic, that you?"

The creature hesitated a moment, then lifted its arm again.

A high-pitched battle cry broke Marth from his trance as Young Link dashed forward, fearlessly swinging his sword in wide arcs at the enemy. There was a blur as Sonic turned and whipped a fist backward, colliding with air when the child ducked and swiped at his back. The sword connected, slicing through flesh with some difficulty. Sonic ignored the attack and punched again, this time making contact with the shield Young Link raised in defense. The blow shattered the wooden shield and sent Young Link sailing through the air. Sonic turned back to Mario.

The shadow, which had not moved throughout the altercation, suddenly shouted.

_"Wait! The boy is tainted! Capture him!"_

--

Young Link used the momentum of his fall to turn it into a roll, coming up with his bow drawn and aimed directly at Sonic. His target vanished right as he fired, then pain exploded from the back of his head.

As the child fell to the ground, he thought he heard a voice so pure and angelic that he knew he had died. A light opened from the skies, enveloping his body, and then a winged figure appeared. The figure's expression showed fury, and Young Link wondered what he had done anger it. The voice rang out again and the child suddenly knew with absolute certainty that everything would be alright, but for who he wasn't so sure.

"ALL TROOPS MOVE OUT!"

--

**Author's note: If you don't know who that is I am obligated to hate you. Don't take it personally. However, I am sure that my reviewers (all 4 of you) know what just happened.**

**Shin Furevindo: Yeah, that was pretty much my intention. I can't guarantee all of them will die, though.**

**Bustman: This one is long overdue. Thank you for your consistent reviews of all my chapters. You're a pretty good writer yourself.**


	5. Redemption

**Author's note: Sonic's current form is a cross between Darkspine Sonic (Secret rings) and WereSonic (Unleashed). To say the least, Sonic is running on pure badass at this point.**

**Dark Dawn Chapter 5:**

The light grew brighter and illuminated the battlefield as more angelic figures poured from the sky. They were smaller than the first, wearing golden armor and wielding bows with heart-shaped arrows in their hands. Flying low, the angels delivered their wrath upon the dark beasts with extreme prejudice. They loosed arrow after arrow, cutting a swath of destruction through the army with almost instinctual grace.

Their leader spread his wings and dashed forward, flying directly at the largest shadow he saw. While he flew, he removed a majestic bow from his back and aimed it at his target. Drawing one arm back, the angel formed an arrow of pure blue light between the points of the bow and fired.

The shaft of light struck Sonic in the chest, swerving its course when the hedgehog tried to jump out of the way, and slammed him to the ground. When it passed all the way through his body, the light dissipated, leaving a small patch of golden fur for a moment. His eyes darkened, turning bright green before fading back to pure white.

The hedgehog got back to his feet and approached Young Link, picking up the unconscious boy as if nothing happened. He then dashed away; running faster than human eyes could follow.

"Smashers!" The angel called, his voice ringing with authority. "Retreat to the city and recover your strength. This fight is no longer yours."

Many of the Smashers hesitated, unsure of the newcomer, until he shouted again. "The Hand of Creation is in danger! Go!"

They pondered his message for a moment before heading towards the city, all except Link, who was locked in combat with Roy, and Mario, who remained unconscious. Seemingly satisfied, the angel returned the shadow.

"Holy arrows…," the shadow said, glaring at the angel with renewed hatred. "What brings you here, oh Pawn of the Goddess?"

"I am Pit, captain of Palutena's army." The angel responded. "You, Dusk, have been charged with upsetting the balance of light and shadow, as well as that of creation and destruction." Pit's eyes narrowed. "Your judgment shall be swift and decisive, will you face it honorably?"

Dusk laughed. "The balance? Ha! The scales have been tipped, Pawn, and for once," he pointed at Pit. "Not in your favor."

"Do you not know what could happen?" Pit asked, "this world could be ripped apart, countless shall perish!"

"And when they do," said Dusk, "their power will be mine!"

"That is unacceptable." Pit grabbed his bow in both hands and broke it in half, forming two scythe-like blades, one in each hand. "Return to your Hell."

Link didn't see the conversation, but he could only watch as the blue hedgehog ran off with his younger self. He tried to fight Roy without killing him, hoping to end the fight quickly. Roy was under not under that obligation, however, and kicked the warrior between the legs. Link grunted and fell to his knees, raising his shield. Before Roy could try to behead him, Link lashed out with one leg and caught Roy's, dragging him to the ground as well.

Link dropped his sword and whipped off his left glove, revealing a triangle shaped gold crest on the back of his hand. He held Roy's neck with one hand while placing his left on the struggling swordsman's chest. A black spark jumped between the two warriors and enveloped Link's hand, the dark power flowing into his body.

When Roy seemed to return to normal, Link removed his hand and stood up, glowing with a dark pseudo light. He reached up to his own neck and grabbed the charm that hung there. The moment his hand touched the black-orange crystal, he began to change shape. Link couched down on all fours as his nose and ears elongated, becoming a dark grayish color. His hands and feet became paws and his eyes took on a feral quality, shining bright blue in the darkness. Gray fur erupted from his flesh, completing the transformation. The wolf howled and sped after Sonic.

Link ran as fast as he could, his speed augmented by his new form as well as the dark energy flowing through him. The wolf shot across the field, appearing as a gray flash slowly gaining on the blue blur. He was only vaguely aware that Mario had jumped on his back until the plumber reached down and placed something in front of his snout. He recognized the object as a green koopa shell, one the items from the previous tournament. Mario then produced a large hammer and showed it to Link, who nodded his understanding.

Mario tossed the shell into the air and, with a yell, smashed the hammer into it. The shell shot forward and slammed into Sonic's legs, forcing them out from under him. The hedgehog collided with the ground for the second time, skidding to a painful stop. Young Link was tossed into the air only to be caught by Mario, who leapt off of Link's back with the child in his arms.

While Mario tended to the boy, Link turned to face Sonic, who was busy wiping the dirt from his quills. The wolf leapt with claws and teeth flashing, aiming to remove Sonic's head. The hedgehog was too fast, however, and had already moved to counterattack. Before Link could react, hundreds of blows hammered into his side, tossing him into the air. He landed gracefully and jumped to the side just as Sonic, who was rolled into a ball, shattered the ground where he used to be.

Link took the opportunity to slash Sonic, drawing dark blood wherever he struck. Sonic grunted in pain and spun quickly, delivering a savage kick to his opponent's face. Despite the pain, Link stood his ground. Planting his claws, he sank his teeth into Sonic's leg and thrashed wildly, trying to rip it apart. A second kick forced him to let go.

"You'll…have to do…better than…that to… beat me." Sonic's voice was strange; it sounded strained and halted at odd places, as if he had to fight to get the words out.

"You have… to beat…me…please."

Without warning, Sonic dashed forward and slashed at Link's face with his claws. Link stumbled back before catching himself and growled. He prepared to pounce again but stopped suddenly. Sonic looked at him, confused, before Mario's hammer connected with the back of his skull, knocking him down. Link jumped to intercept the hedgehog. He pinned Sonic down and placed his mouth to his throat. With a quick twist, the creature went limp.

Dusk lurched forward in pain, clutching his chest. Pit stopped his attack, but didn't lower his guard. The shadow looked down, scanning for something. When he found it, his shadowy form took on a reddish hue.

"The vessel," he said, seeming to frown in Sonic's general direction. "A minor setback, but a setback nonetheless."

Just then, an idea struck him. He looked to Pit. "You, angel. What do you know of the balance?"

Pit scowled and lowered his blades slightly. "Nothing that I would share with one like you, demon."

"Demon?" Dusk asked, then his tone became quieter, almost a whisper. "No matter. You should know, however, that that being," he pointed at Sonic, "is from another dimension."

Pit gasped, "You…

"And as you know," Dusk continued, "beings of great power cannot remain across the border for long. That power, or some of equal value, must be returned eventually."

Anger flashed in Pit's eyes. He flew forward and shoved a blade at what passed for the shadow's neck.

"What happens if that power is unable to be returned?" he asked in a deadly voice.

"That is the question, isn't it?" Dusk answered. "I suggest you find out soon."

With that, he melted away from Pit's grip, becoming an insubstantial mist.

The angel rushed forward, blades flashing. He struck at the shadow repeatedly, but none of his attacks connected. Whenever a blade got close, the shadows faded, causing Pit to hit nothing but air. He reconnected his bow and began firing. The same result.

The mist descended around Young Link and seeped through his flesh. His skin became pale and his hair turned a sickly gray color. The child stood up and caught one of Pit's arrows in one hand. He crushed it casually. Young Link smiled.

"Hmm," Dusk said as he examined his new body. "I had planned to escape, but this body stores so much sorrow and pain. I can use this."

"Foul beast!" Pit screamed, "A child!?"

"I did not taint him," Dusk said, "He did it to himself. This 'child' took the souls of the dead and sealed their negative energy into his being. He could use it as he wished."

"And now," Dusk said as he pointed at Pit. "I wish to destroy you."

He took a step forward. It nearly killed him. Dusk clutched his head as he fell to his knees, screaming. His left hand glowed with a golden light.

"Th-this power!" Dusk screamed, "The child is fighting back!?"

Energy swirled around Young Link's body, charging the air with power. Ghostly forms rose from the ground and began to take shape as the earth cracked under him.

_"This child healed our spirits," _said a voice that was neither Dusk's nor Young Link's, but seemed to come from all directions. More figures rose from the earth.

_"Yeah," _added a second voice, _"He's saved the world, too. Little dude's a hero."_

_"Thank you." _The last voice was unwilling to say more.

The first voice spoke again. _"It's time we repaid the favor."_

_"Let's give him a taste."_

_"Get out."_

Dusk screamed in frustration when the ghosts rushed him. They slammed into Young Link and passed harmlessly through him. Dusk, however, was being ripped from his host with terrifying force. He latched onto anything he could grab, trying to dig deeper into Young Link. He briefly succeeded before what he grabbed was also removed. The spirits tore him from Young Link and dumped on the ground. Dusk started laughing.

"Fools!" he yelled. "Your sorrow is mine!"

Dusk stood up. His now solid body closely resembled the adult Link. Instead of green, however, his tunic was white. His face sported red and black tattoos that wound around his pupil-less gray eyes. In his hand was held a wicked sword. Rather than a solid blade, the sword consisted of razor thin strips of unknown metal that bent into a double-helix pattern. The metal strips met at the tip, folding into each other to form a deadly point.

"Behold," he said in a quiet voice, "The Fierce Deity!"

**Note: Wow, I suck at pacing. I need to find a way to slow this down a little.**


	6. Escape

**Author's note:** What the!? Ok, sorry problem is fixed. It seems that when I tried to upload chapter 6, it just uploaded the first sentence of chapter 7. _Just the first sentence._ I still don't know what happened.

**Dark Dawn Chapter 6: Escape**

"Retreat!" called the angel as he tried to fly backwards. Pit didn't know what to do. His mission was to kill Dusk, but that was beyond him now. It was beyond any of them. He tried to fly back to the clouds to regroup, but found that that his ascent was blocked by an invisible force.

Dusk waved his sword in Pit's direction, and the same force slammed into the angel, tossing him to the ground. He tried to get up, but was held down by shadows that seemed to reach from the ground itself. With one hand, he lifted his bow into the air. It flashed with golden light, dispersing the shadows. In one movement, he got to his feet, whipped around, and fired. The arrow sped towards its target, but was deflected at the last moment by a semi-solid barrier that sprang up around Dusk.

"Your arrows are useless now, Pawn."

A flash of green caught Pit's eye and he turned to look. Link, in human form, had retrieved his sword and was slowly maneuvering himself behind Dusk. The Hylian winked and then pointed. Mario was also sneaking behind the monster; he mouthed the word "Run". Pit gave only the slightest nod to show his understanding.

"Try this then, Demon!" Pit screamed. Before his opponent could respond, he nocked an arrow of light and fired straight up. While it flew, Pit dashed away, scooping Young Link into his arms as he ran.

"What are y-!" Dusk was cut off as a sword appeared between his ribs. He quickly turned only to receive a fireball to his face. Realizing too late that the arrow was diversion, Dusk screamed in frustration.

Link found himself without his sword when Dusk turned, ripping the blade from his hands. He jumped backward, landed gracefully, and pulled a bomb from his pack. He hurled the explosive right as Mario tossed another fireball. Both collided with the dark shield and exploded. Dusk burst from the smoke, the sword still in his chest, and stabbed at Link with his own blade. The Hylian barely managed to get his shield up in time, but the force behind the blow still sent him flying.

Dusk turned to Mario and held up one hand. Shadows leapt from the ground, rushing at the plumber in thin strands of darkness. They struck at him repeatedly, forcing him to devote all his energy to dodging; he could only watch as Dusk approached him, sword in hand.

"Mario," Dusk said mockingly. "The 'hero' himself, at my mercy."

Mario ducked under a shadow thread, lifting his foot to dodge another. He said nothing, but glared at Dusk while he avoided the strands. His eyes remained focused on the blade protruding from the monster's chest.

Dusk followed his gaze and looked down, seeming to notice his injury for the first time.

"Ah," he said. "That." He reached behind himself and gripped the sword by the hilt. Sparks erupted from it as soon as his hand came near. He grunted and pulled harder. It came free soon after; leaving a large gash that glowed with white flame.

Dusk dropped the sword with a grunt of a pain, his wounded hand and chest already repairing themselves. After a few moments, there was no evidence that he had been stabbed. He returned his attention to Mario, still trapped in the dark cage.

"Hmmm." Dusk looked the plumber over. "What to do with you? As far as I know, you have never been tainted by evil."

Mario still said nothing, but a faint smile played on his lips.

"Perhaps I can use Shadow Mario," Dusk continued. He stopped to think for a second. "No, that would be useless," he said, dismissing the idea.

"Do you always think out loud?" Mario asked seriously. "Revealing your plans to anyone nearby?" He smirked. "You sound like Bowser."

Dusk glared at him. "You may not be tainted," he said, now smiling himself. "But your brother…"

Mario's grin vanished; fear and anger covering his face.

"Stay away from him," was all he could say.

Dusk laughed. "If only you could watch while I crush your brother's mind." He held out one hand. Black energy began to form. "But should I let you live, you will continue to be a thorn in my side. Goodbye, Mario."

Before the blast even left Dusk's hand, Mario was moving. He dashed forward through the threads, reaching into his pocket as he ran. The threads tore into his body, ripping flesh and clothing alike. Mario ignored the pain. He produced a yellow cape from his overalls and, with a spin, brought it between himself and the incoming attack. The black ball collided with the cape and immediately reversed direction.

"Goodbye to you!"

In the space of a second, Dusk's expression went from surprised to angry, before finally settling on a look of sheer determination. With a blur of movement he took a step back, planted his feet, and thrust both arms forward. He braced his hands against his blade, held in a defensive position. His own attack slammed into the sword, pushing him back a step.

Mario wasn't finished. He reached into his pocket and pulled forth an odd plant. The flower itself was a brilliant red and yellow color, but its black eyes, staring into the distance, offset its beauty somewhat. Its small mouth let out a barely detectable amount of steam, along with occasional sparks. Mario squeezed the stem, causing the entire plant to burst into flame, and noticeable smile to appear on its face. With the Fire Flower in hand, Mario drew his arms back before unleashing a massive torrent of flame.

"Mario…Finale!" he cried, collapsing a moment later.

Link chose that moment to re-enter the fight. A giant metal ball came out of nowhere and smashed directly into Dusk's left side; the attack didn't do any real damage, but it shattered his concentration. The dark blast being held at bay exploded, leaving Dusk standing directly in the path of the second blast. His barrier appeared a moment too late, and the flames rushed into him. Pieces of Dusk's corporeal body burned away, leaving only shadow in their wake. He fell to the ground missing one leg, half an arm, and most of his mask-like face.

Link pulled on the chain and caught the attached metal ball, then swung it over his head, preparing for a second attack.

"No!" cried a voice. It was Pit's. "He is still deadly, we must escape!"

Link glanced at him, looking slightly annoyed, and then nodded. The ball and chain disappeared into a small pocket on his tunic. He helped Mario to his feet, giving him a potion in the process, and began walking away.

"Where are you going?" Pit asked, "The city is the other way."

In answer, Link picked up Roy and slung him over his shoulder, before doing the same with Sonic, holding the hedgehog in one hand. Once both were secure, he retrieved his sword, sheathed it, and started off in the direction Pit had indicated.

"Of course," Pit said. "Forgive me. We may need them in the future, especially the dimensional traveler."

Mario perked up. "Sonic?" He looked at Link. "Didn't you end his game?"

Link chuckled at the euphemism and looked down at the hedgehog. He placed two fingers on Sonic's neck, then, with care, handed him to Mario. The plumber repeated Link's inspection and his eyes went wide.

"Mama Mia!" He exclaimed, "He's still alive! And still in super form, no less."

Link and Pit gave Mario confused looks at his last statement.

"Well, you see," Mario began, "this isn't his normal form. See those white lines on his fur? I'm pretty sure that means he's Darkspine Sonic; and this longer fur means Werehog Sonic."

Neither Link nor Pit had any idea what he was talking about, so they just nodded and kept walking. Mario didn't continue with the explanation. After a few minutes of walking, Pit suddenly spoke up.

"Oh, Hero, I meant to ask you about something."

"Yes?" Mario asked. Link merely grunted a response.

"Oh, my apologies," Pit said. "I meant the Hero of Twilight."

"Ah, well, his name's Link." Mario said. "Doesn't talk much, though."

Link grinned silently.

"Understood. Link, I wanted to ask about this child," he motioned at the unconscious Young Link. "What is your relationship with him? I have noticed multiple similarities, but cannot identify him. Is he your brother? Son?"

Link noticeably blushed at the last question, but shook his head.

"Reincarnation."

Pit gasped. "You…he…" Pit shook his head, then tried again. "Your soul was reborn before its previous vessel's ascension?"

Link nodded. Mario had also become visibly interested.

"Amazing." Pit said. "Three bodies sharing one soul. Truly amazing."

Link stopped walking. He pointed at Young Link, then himself, holding up two fingers with a questioning look on his face. Mario did the same.

"What?" Pit asked. "You did not know? Back at the city, there is one more."

Link shook his head, and then began to laugh. He started walking again, much faster, almost dropping Roy in his haste.

Pit looked at Mario. "I do not see the humor in this."

Mario shrugged. "He's probably just excited."

Shortly after, all conversation ceased. The trio continued their journey, each carrying an injured companion, only stopping when one seemed to wake up. None did. After what seemed an eternity, they came across a familiar sight.

Pieces of metal were strewn across the ground; some seemed to be buried, while other, large twisted chunks jutted out at odd angles. What used to be a wing had pierced the side of the huge object. Dark smoke curled towards the sky as flames consumed the once proud ship. Plastered on its side, in large letters, was proclaimed: _T… reat…F…x._

"Fox!" Mario cried.

He began to run forward when a sudden explosion rocked the ship, stopping him in his tracks. A large machine burst from the hull, smashing through walls and debris alike. The thing looked partially destroyed and was beginning to succumb to the flames. Multiple cracks lined its side. It was white and blue, resembling an Arwing with treaded wheels. A cannon protruded from the front end, pointing directly at Mario.

"Fox!" Mario shouted again.

A hatch opened at the top, revealing the brown furred pilot. Fox McLoud jumped off his vehicle and landed in front of the group.

"Hey guys, you all right?"

"We're fine." Mario responded. "How about you?"

"Fine. But you wouldn't believe how hard it is to maneuver a Landmaster inside a ship." Fox paused before looking around. "Hold on a second." He turned back to the _Great Fox_ and shouted, "Clear!"

After a few seconds, two figures emerged from the wreckage. Slippy and Mewtwo.

"Hey guys!"

_"Hello."_

"Oh, I almost forgot!" Mario exclaimed. "Everyone, this is Pit."

Once introductions were finished, Pit spoke up. "Alright everyone, let us go to the city!"


	7. Getting Nowhere

**Author's Note: Sorry this took so long, I've been having some trouble lately.**

**Dark Dawn Chapter 7: Getting Nowhere**

The city was completely deserted. Nothing living could be detected for miles. Abandoned buildings and houses stood silently, waiting for a time they would be used again. Doors were left wide open, as if their residents had rushed to escape. The gyroids, small mechanical housekeepers and the signature of Smashville, stood next to each house, lifeless eyes staring into nothing.

The group slowly made their way through the city, searching for any indication of the whereabouts of their comrades. Three of them were suspended in midair, unconscious, as Mewtwo had elected to carry the wounded. The others, however, were all prepared for combat. Link kept one hand on the hilt of his sword at all times, while Pit's bow was held at the ready. Slippy was doing his best to remain small and unthreatening behind Fox, who was fingering the pistol at his belt lightly. Mario had taken the lead.

"T-this place is c-creepy," Slippy stuttered, obviously frightened.

"Come on, Slippy. I know you're not scared of a little silence," Fox said, "Besides, you can hold your own in a fight as well as anyone."

"In an Arwing, maybe!" Slippy shrieked, "I don't _do_ close combat, it's whyI use an Arwing!"

_"But your technological abilities are unrivaled,"_ Mewtwo cut in, _"Do you not have a weapon to use?"_

"Oh, well, I do have this." From his vest Slippy produced a medium sized gun. It was a pistol with a laser sight and multiple labeled settings. The switch was placed firmly between 'kill' and 'explodify'.

"I made it myself," he announced proudly.

"See?" Fox asked, "As long as you can shoot straight you'll be fine."

The conversation was cut short by the sound of glass breaking. The group reacted instantly. Hands were raised, weapons were leveled, and attacks were prepared, ready to dispose of any threat. What stumbled out from behind a broken window was anything but. The figure was humanoid, possessing a male build, and had no face. It was also made completely out of wires. What appeared to be a heart was beating inside its transparent chest, somehow managing to stay alive despite its lack of blood. The warriors lowered their weapons, well aware that the Wireframe approaching them was friendly.

"Well, looks like Master Hand is here after all," Fox said, mostly to himself.

_"And he sent this to greet us?" _Mewtwo asked. _"Why?"_

Pit sighed. "I think I might know why," he said. He pointed to the strange being. "I believe this one will show us the way."

"The way to what?"

The Wireframe nodded and motioned for them to follow, which they did without another word, as it could not speak. It led them through the city along a seemingly random path, changing course suddenly and quickly, never waiting for stragglers. Slippy asked if it was lost, only to be shushed by Pit. Finally, after what seemed an eternity, the Wireframe stopped. It looked to either side, then knelt down and remained motionless.

"What's it doing now?" Fox asked, his tone somewhat annoyed.

"Revealing the path," Pit responded.

Suddenly, the Wireframe leapt to its feet, thrusting its arms outward. Moments later, reality itself was ripped apart. There was a gust of wind, and a giant portal tore itself into being. Inside, a majestic gate materialized before them. It appeared to be wrought of pure gold, and would have been beautiful, had it not been completely destroyed. The gate itself had been ripped from its hinges, apparently blown inward by a powerful force. Scorch marks covered the pieces. Beyond the ruined gate was standing an equally ruined mansion. The building had once been a symbol of honor and resolve, a place where friends and enemies alike could forget their limits and fight without fear. Now it was a mere shadow of its former self. The doors had also been forcibly removed, and the entire left wing was gone, simply ripped from the rest of structure. The right wing had fared better, but the wall sported a hole where something large had emerged.

Mario gasped. "What happened here?"

"Dusk." Pit said. "Before any of us arrived he attacked the Smash Mansion. I believe he has captured the Hand of Destruction."

"Crazy Hand?"

"Yes."

"So," Fox started, "he did this without any damage to the city?"

"There are many entrances to this dimensional pocket," Pit answered, "but the city's is the most convenient, as well as the most destructive should the area become unstable."

"So that's the real reason we evacuated?" Mario asked. "Because it's unstable now?"

"Most likely."

_"Wait," _Mewtwo said. _"This portal has become unstable. Why are we currently standing next to it?"_

The question hung in the air for a moment. Then the Wireframe lashed out with an arm and caught Link in chest. The warrior was thrown back, but landed on his feet, sword drawn.

"It's a trap!" Mario yelled.

Link rushed forward and thrust his sword into the Wireframe's face; it didn't react.

"Cruel Frame!" Link shouted, back flipping out of range of its fists as he ripped his blade from its head. The rest of the group reacted instantly. Mewtwo launched a shadowball while Mario leapt into the fray. The Wireframe was knocking the plumber away when the ball struck it, blasting it into the air. Pit and Fox took the opportunity to open fire, arrows and blaster shots taking their toll on the being's wiry body. It landed with a dull thud, then began to get to its feet.

"Fox!" Slippy shouted, running towards the Wireframe with his weapon held at the ready. "I have an idea! Use your kinetic friction shield!"

"My _what?_"

"The firefox thing, quick!" Slippy began to charge his gun with practiced speed, a green glow beginning to emanate from it. Fox jumped into the air and activated a device in his vest, causing him to immediately burst into flame. With a cry of "Fire!" he launched his flaming body at the Wireframe. It had already recovered, however, and was drawing back to punch the lupine from the sky.

"Gotcha!" cried Slippy as he released the trigger, firing a massive blast of energy. The blast collided with the Wireframe at the same time Fox drove it into the ground. An explosion erupted, throwing dirt and rocks into the air. Fox, just for spite, activated his reflector, electrocuting his opponent and driving it further into the ground. He got up and leapt out the hole, wiping the dirt off his vest.

"I really hate those guys."

Pit smacked himself in the head. "How could I have been so foolish!?"

_"You couldn't have known," _Mewtwo said. "_But there is no time, we still must escape."_

Fox nodded. "Right, let's go." He started off towards the portal. The wind whipped up again, and as quickly as it had appeared, the rip was gone.

"No!" Fox shouted as he broke into a full sprint. Mario and Link followed suit. They reached the spot were the portal had been, only for nothing to happen. Mario fell to his knees and slammed the ground with his fist.

"It's gone," he sighed.

"We are in luck that is all that happened," Pit said as he approached. "It could have drawn the entire city in on itself or, at the very least, exploded."

A sudden, booming laugh echoed throughout the area. It seemed to come from all directions, but lacked the odd feeling of telepathy.

"I WOULDN'T CALL IT LUCK, YOUNG ANGEL!" The voice, like the laugh, came from nowhere.

Mario immediately jumped to his feet. "Master Hand!?"

"CORRECT."

"Where are you?"

In response, another portal opened before them. It was much cleaner than the other, appearing as a simple circle in the air rather than a rip between dimensions. Floating beyond it was a giant white-gloved hand. Master Hand became a fist and then pointed.

"WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR? HURRY UP!"

They quickly stepped through the portal. Once it had closed behind them, the gate disappeared into a concrete wall. The rest of the room was bare, save for the giant floating hand. There was a knock at the door. Master Hand visibly flinched.

"OH, RIGHT. YOU HAVE BEEN MISSED."

The door swung inward, revealing a small welcoming committee.

"Mario!" cried Princess Peach as she rushed him, her pink dress trailing behind her. He returned her greeting and hug, going so far as to lift her off the ground. Peach merely laughed. Standing behind them was Luigi, who gave a nervous, "Hey, Bro," and then decided to leave them alone.

"Link," Zelda said in a much calmer voice. "Welcome back." She held out her hand. Link took it with a smile and kissed it before kneeling down before her. Pit took a cue and also knelt down saying, "Your highnesses. Peach, Zelda."

"Please, that is not necessary," Zelda said, smiling as she glanced at Peach and Mario.

"Yo Fox!" Falco called, pushing his way through. "You alive?" He looked Fox up and down and, seemingly satisfied, said, "Good enough," and left. Fox just laughed and greeted Krystal and Peppy, who came in after Falco.

_"Excuse me,"_ Mewtwo interrupted._ "But we have wounded to attend to."_

"Oh, dear," Peach said, looking over Roy, Young Link, and Sonic. "Is this all of them?"

_"Yes."_

Master Hand flinched again.

"Oh," Peach murmured. "Well, I'll take care of them. Zelda, would you like to help?"

"Of course."

"Alright then," Said Peach, "follow me."

"Wait." Slippy said. Peach turned around.

"Yes?"

"Where exactly are we?"

Peach directed a not-quite-glare at Master Hand. She shrugged. "We don't know, actually. In fact, he-" She pointed at the hand, "-refused to tell us until you got here."

Everyone looked at the hand, who made a coughing noise. "YES, WELL. YOU SEE… WE'RE, UM, AT NOOKINGTON'S."

"What!?" Pit cried. "We are still in Smashville!?"

"UNDER IT, ACTUALLY," Corrected Master Hand, "TOM NOOK BUILT A BASEMENT COMPLEX AS A STOREHOUSE FOR HIS GOODS. WE HAVE PLENTY OF SUPPLIES.

"So we're living in a warehouse?" Mario asked.

"YES. SLEEPING ARRANGEMENTS HAVE YET TO BE DECIDED, HOWEVER.

"Are you sure it's safe?"

"PERFECTLY. I'M KEEPING THE MANSION DIMENSION STABLE. IT WILL NOT EXPLODE ON MY WATCH."

Pit stepped forward. "Can Dusk find us?"

"NO, I AM VEILING OUR LOCATION."

"The same way you veiled the Mansion?" Pit asked in a near whisper.

Silence descended around the room. Everyone shifted uneasily; Master Hand was clenching and unclenching his fist. After a few moments, Peach broke it first.

"Well," she said, "I'm going to take care of these guys. Come on, Mewtwo." She exited the room quickly. Another tense moment passed.

"RIGHT," Master Hand said. "LET'S GET SOME SLEEP. SOMEONE SHOULD STAND WATCH, JUST IN CASE. GOOD NIGHT!"

With that, the hand disappeared completely. Those gathered slowly filed out through the door. Soon, only Pit was left. The angel sighed and looked at the ground.

"You never answered my question," he said to no one. He sighed again and walked out. Had he waited a little longer, he might have seen the hand reappear. It was Master Hand's turn to sigh.

"BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW, PIT, I JUST DON'T KNOW."

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**Yes, Master Hand speaks in all caps. Because a giant floating hand that speaks only in capital letters is the best character ever. I tried to make him at least slightly serious, but won't know if I pulled it off until I get some reviews. Which reminds me, I like reviews. Please let me know how I'm doing!**


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